Can Chelsea go from 10th to title again?

Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League a decade ago but went on to win the title just one year later under new manager Antonio Conte. Now, with a new manager Xabi Alonso in charge and finishing in the same position again, can Chelsea repeat this remarkable feat? Chelsea's Premier League record this season is almost identical to their mid-table finish under interim manager Guus Hiddink ten years ago, with only one more goal scored and one more conceded, resulting in the same goal difference and just two more points than they had in 2015-16.

After starting the season with a back four, Chelsea switched to a back three after a 3-0 defeat at Arsenal in their sixth game, a tactical move that proved crucial as they went on to win 13 consecutive games. This winning streak, coupled with an unprecedented points increase of 43, enabled Chelsea to clinch the title with 93 points, a significant improvement over their previous best.

While it's a tall order for Alonso's squad to replicate this success, with the bar for winning the title having dropped in recent years, Chelsea may not need to achieve the same 93 points. Based on their underlying expected goal numbers, Chelsea were among the most dominant teams in the Premier League last season, ranking fourth despite scoring eight fewer goals than they should have.

However, their struggles to convert chances into goals may have been a one-off issue, given their improvement in finishing last season. With no European football to contend with this season, Chelsea will have an easier schedule, which could allow them to focus more on their domestic campaign. The benefits of playing only one game a week have historically been advantageous for top Premier League clubs, with nine out of ten sides finishing higher in the league when they don't compete in European competitions.

Given Chelsea's current form and Alonso's proven ability to transform struggling clubs, repeating their title-winning performance from a decade ago is certainly not impossible.